30572_Kao Data Critical Careers_Pages - Flipbook - Page 45
What do you think drives that
attitude across our industry?
How do you see the role of women
evolving within the industry?
think it’s fundamentally about recognising value. This
industry is inherently practical—if you show up and deliver,
you’re valued highly, and being a woman, you tend to
stand out because we’re still a rarity.
I
ooking at how women 昀椀t into the data centre industry, honestly, I
don’t see myself as a woman in a man’s industry. It’s more about
what we bring to the table. We are not here as a nod to diversity
quotas, but genuinely peer-to-peer with men, earning the same level of
respect. I see no sign of this slowing down.
L
For instance, early in my career, I was involved in negotiating
a complex agreement for a tax concession in the UK for data
centres based on ef昀椀ciency improvements. It was a tough sell,
as our industry couldn’t be measured in traditional industrial
terms for output like weight, which baf昀氀ed many. Yet, we
managed to work out a solution and secured the concession,
which was a bit of a miracle. This not only boosted the
sector’s competitiveness but also provided invaluable data on
the colocation sector in the UK.
What I would like to see change is the approach to tokenism. For
instance, I get why it’s disappointing to see an all-male panel at events,
but I’m not a fan of forcing a 50/50 split just for the sake of optics. It’s
important that women who are on panels are there because they’re the
right people for the discussion, not just to balance the gender ratio.
Being used as a token—just a face to 昀椀t a diversity slot—helps no one,
least of all the women who end up feeling like they’re out of their depth.
This achievement early on signi昀椀cantly shaped my position
in the industry. It was a massive team effort, led by the UK
Council of Data Centre Operators, and included many key
昀椀gures. The success of this initiative, and the fact that those in
government at the time were receptive, certainly helped.
The focus really should be on outcomes, not just activity. It’s not about
how many meetings we attend; it’s about the impact we make. At
CyrusOne, my job involves anticipating and in昀氀uencing regulations to
avoid unnecessary burdens on the sector, just as it was at techUK. This
is about making real changes, mitigating the tough parts of regulations,
and sometimes, doing the cleanup work when things go awry because
of misunderstandings about those regulations.
My approach has always been about making complex
information accessible and engaging, using analogies to
explain the intricacies of our industry to laypeople. This
not only involves explaining the technical aspects but also
demonstrating the sector’s relevance and importance in
everyday terms. It’s important that we not only inform people
about complex topics but engage them enough to read
through to the end.
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I think women might have a knack for maintaining an external viewpoint
that’s crucial for explaining our industry to those outside it. This involves
understanding how to communicate what we do in a way that makes
sense to people who aren’t insiders. Are women better at this? Maybe.
I’ve managed to retain this perspective, always questioning how others
see us, which is vital. It’s about understanding and communicating not
just within our sector but beyond it, ensuring we’re transparent and that
our work is understood by the wider public.
